Hitting Rick Perry in Arizona

Arizona State Senate President Russell Pearce hit Rick Perry from the right, and afar, on the topic of the state's hard-line immigration bill, which the Texas governor said was not right for their state.

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"Perry, I mean, I have a hard time flip-flopping," Pearce said. "It was interesting that when we passed this bill, and our governor signed it, Rick Perry made the statement that he would veto any 1070-like bill."

"And then in the debate, for some reason — and I appreciate conversions," Pearce added. "He had to slip in there, I'm for SB 1070."

"He's also opposed the fence," Pearce added. "When you reward lawbreakers, you encourage more lawbreaking. And he's decided to give those in the country illegally — violating our laws — a special leg up in education."

Arizona Democratic Party spokesman (and former POLITICO reporter) Andy Barr said, "If Perry can’t buy safety from Arizona’s extremists by cozying up to our birther-obsessed Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Republicans are going to be forced to shift uncomfortably far away from the mainstream to win over any grassroots conservatives in Arizona's primary."